Saying Good Bye
by Mysterious Sunshine
Summary: What if, after the events of Order of the Pheonix, Harry was given a chance to say a proper good by to his beloved godfather? What if Ginny Weasley was to give him that chance?


A/n: I partly got the idea to write this oneshot from a post on the Fanfiction Writer's Unite group on Facebook. I don't remember whose post inspired it, but if you happen to be reading this, this oneshot is dedicated to you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. We all know who does.

The day was probably one of the loveliest days that Hogwarts had seen all year. The sky was a forget-me-not blue, the lake reflected that color, and the grass was a lush green. The voices of the students, free from homework and exams, carried through the air like the hum of worker bees. Everyone was content despite the horrific news of a confirmed Voldemort sighting in the Ministry. The students were able to push that small, destructive detail from their minds as if it were a memory from a scary story. However, Harry Potter wasn't so quick to purposefully forget about Voldemort. He sat at the edge of the lake, staring out at nothing. He had been in this position for hours, blind and deaf to the activity that went on around him. He had long given up on holding back tears; tear tracks stained his pale face. One thought ran through his mind. Gone, gone, he's gone, he's gone.

The image of Sirius's face disappearing behind the veil, never to return, kept showing up behind Harry's closed eyelids. He would never forget the expression of shock illuminated by a red light, his body falling in slow motion, joining the whispers that called to him from the veil. Fresh tears fell from Harry's eyes, and he viciously swiped at them.

"Hi Harry," a soft voice pierced his sadness. Harry looked up to see Ginny Weasley standing next to him, looking thoughtfully at the lake.

"Hi Ginny," he replied, trying to inconspicuously wipe his tears again.

"Hagrid sent me to fetch you, he said he needs your help in the forest," Ginny told him. Harry really didn't feel like being in the presence of anyone, but Hagrid was his friend and he would help. He slowly got up from the ground and followed Ginny into the forbidden forest. Deeper and deeper they went, Harry's mood mirroring the darkness.

"Hagrid wanted us to meet him this deep in?" Harry asked, though he realized that it shouldn't be too surprising.

"Actually no, Hagrid didn't send me to get you," Ginny confessed. Harry opened his mouth to ask why he was traveling deep into the forest with her when the words caught in his throat. In front of him was a beautiful tombstone surrounded by a green clearing with a bubbling brook. The grave marker was gold and red with the trademark Gryffindor lion on it. It also had a beater's bat, a broomstick, and a drawing of filubuster's fireworks etched on the edges of the stone. In the middle, bold block letters read "Sirius Orion Black, godfather, friend, brother, and loyal to the end. Mischief managed." The grave was open and near it laid a black toy dog. Harry looked at Ginny questioningly.

"Ron, Hermione and I worked on it. Remus helped to. We thought that you should get a proper goodbye," Ginny explained. Harry nodded in acknowledgement, his throat closing up with emotion. He sank to his knees next to the grave and slowly lowered the toy dog into it.

"Want to say anything?" Ginny asked quietly. Harry swallowed, opened his mouth, and found he had no words to express the feelings roiling around in him.

"Ok, I'll go then," Ginny said gently, kneeling next to Harry at the grave. "Sirius, I didn't really know you for very long, but you were an amazing person you were funny, brave, and was always on our side. You gave Harry something he hasn't had in a longtime, a father. You left to soon, way too soon and we all, but especially Harry, miss you. We know you're creating mischief up there with Harry's dad, so have fun."

"Goodbye Sirius," Harry managed to choke out. With a flick of Ginny's wand, a neat pile of dirt covered the grave. Ginny stood, offering her arm to Harry.

"I'll be right behind you," he told her. She looked at him skeptically and then nodded. Harry sat, staring at the grave as feelings of pure grief and guilt overwhelmed him. HE was so overtaken by the pain that he didn't notice Ginny walk back and resume her place by his side.

"It's not your fault, Harry," Ginny soothed.

"It is, it's my fault. If I had only listened to snape, if I had listened to Hermione, Sirius would still be here," Harry cried in misery, tears falling in earnest. Ginny wrapped an arm around his shaking shoulders.

"You didn't know that it was just a vision. You thought you were saving his life. You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong. Sirius knew the risks, yet he took them so that he could save you. You did the same. You're exactly like Sirius," Ginny told him. Through his tears, Harry smiled at her. "Thanks Ginny, for all of this," he said standing slowly. He would have to thank Ron and Hermione as well. He was guiltily glad that they weren't here. It was nice to cry without Hermione's mothering or Ron's awkwardness. Ginny was comforting without treating him like a child who had just experienced a nightmare.

"No problem Harry," She smiled, holding out her arm again. Harry stood and took it. They made their way back through the forest.

A/n: Good? Horrible? Something in between? Please review; they help me to become a better writer.


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